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Can someone explain the term ‘try hard’ in the context of baby names.

207 replies

Redcst · 08/12/2025 10:17

As the title says. I’m reading the threads and someone always uses the term ‘try hard’ to give their opinion on a name. I genuinely don’t know what this means?

it seems to be a derogatory term or even a euphemism?

I get if you love, like, dislike a name. I also appreciate names considered classics or historically posh etc but try hard I just don’t understand.

just curious

OP posts:
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DuchessOfNarcissex · 09/12/2025 11:52

I agree. It's a classic, as are names like Elizabeth, Catherine, Emma, Helen, Laura, Susan, Jane, Charlotte etc.

Mariammaom · 09/12/2025 15:16

I do find Sarah strongly dated to those born in the 1970s. We had 4 of them in my class at school, and there are 2 in my team at work, all aged around 50 now.

Mariammaom · 09/12/2025 15:18

DuchessOfNarcissex · 09/12/2025 11:52

I agree. It's a classic, as are names like Elizabeth, Catherine, Emma, Helen, Laura, Susan, Jane, Charlotte etc.

Susan, Jane and Helen are also very strongly dated to the 60s and 70s. I only know 60+ year olds.

DuchessOfNarcissex · 09/12/2025 18:39

@Mariammaom , which is why I said Sarah is 'dated but not in a bad way'.
If you met a young child with the names, you'd probably think she'd be named after a grandmother not 'what an awful name'.

Mariammaom · 09/12/2025 19:44

DuchessOfNarcissex · 09/12/2025 18:39

@Mariammaom , which is why I said Sarah is 'dated but not in a bad way'.
If you met a young child with the names, you'd probably think she'd be named after a grandmother not 'what an awful name'.

I don’t think anyone has implied that names that are dated to a specific era are ‘awful’. They are simply names that were very fashionable at a point in time and inevitably fell out of fashion and feel ‘dated’

DuchessOfNarcissex · 09/12/2025 19:47

Not on this thread maybe, but it happens on other threads.

Usernamenotav · 09/12/2025 23:02

It means that someone has tried really hard to be different/unique, in a cringe sort of way. Like when people have lots of names they love but refuse to name their child because it's popular. They try really hard to find a name that will grab attention.
( I wouldn't say it, but i might think it.)

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